LOST II: Snowed Out
by kingdom-keepers-rule
Summary: ALSO BY NEON CLOUDS. The Keepers are on their way back from a nice long vacation when disaster strikes- AGAIN! Will they make it out alive? Will their bad luck ever subside? You asked for it, people. A sequel to my other story, LOST!
1. Gone Again

**Amanda's P.O.V**

I woke up, stifling a yawn before staring at the floor, reluctant to leave the warmth and coziness of the bed to step onto the freezing wood. Beside me, Jess mumbled something in her sleep, twisting and turning to find a more comfortable position which required basically pushing me off the bed. I sighed from my spot on the floor, lifting myself up and lazily walking to the bathroom.

The end of winter break was getting close and so we had to hurry home from our splendid trip to Canada. The snow everywhere, the hues of green, reds, and oranges of the forest. The way the mountains in the distance reflected off the deep blue waters. Philby's family lake house was the perfect place to be during winter. I couldn't have thought of a better place to spend the break.

Notice I say place. The actual things that happened weren't as wonderful. It had been a well-deserved, much-needed vacation, but we spent a little too much quality time. And now everyone's cranky.

"Morning, gorgeous." Okay, maybe not everyone.

"Morning, handsome." I mumbled into Finn as he spun me around and pulled me into his arms. He was so warm I wanted to hug him all day. "The trip's finally over, huh?"

"Yeah, as much as I'm glad the fighting is gonna stop soon, I'm gonna miss it here. It's so calm, serene,"

He pecked my cheek. "Beautiful."

"Has anyone ever told you how cheesy you are?"

"Well, there was this one person who said it to me all the time. But I guess she's too much of a grouch to realize it's called affection." I hit his arm.

"You hush up!" I said.

"I will for a kiss." He grinned idly. I laughed and gave his a long kiss on the lips.

"Gross. Get a room, Whitman!" Maybeck grumbled, passing us to the kitchen.

"He's just jealous." I said, 'whispering'.

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to, nimrod." I rolled my eyes. Finn laughed, giving me a look that said 'Don't you start, too.'

I sighed, "Fine. I'm packed for the most part, wanna watch TV? We can drown them out when they start fighting."

"Sounds good. But please don't mention arguing. We'll just jinx it."

I laughed and sat on the couch, snuggling next to him, and turned on the TV.

This actually turned out to be true because not ten minutes later, I heard yelling.

"Jess, you were in the bathroom for hours!" Charlene shrieked, when my sister exited from the bathroom.

"Try ten minutes, father time." Jess countered.

"That's not fair. You used up all the hot water!" She complained, testing the shower.

"Did I? Oops, my bad." Jess remarked sarcastically with a smirk that was sure to get a slap from Charlene  
if she continued. "Next time get there before me."

"I woke up after you."

"Not my problem, princess. Some of us don't need beauty sleep to get this." Jess gestured self-absorbedly to her face, quite out of character for her. "We just wake up and whoop, there it is."

Charlene growled, "It's not my fault I overslept. Willa kept me up all night!"

"Oh so now it's my fault." Willa shouted, emerging from her room. "Since when is it a crime to read?"

Finn sighed and I knew what he was thinking. Great, another fight.

"When it's twelve o'clock at night!" Charlene screamed at her. She then directed herself back at Jess.

"Now what? Do you expect me to shower in cold water, when it's SNOWING outside?"

"I lived like that for years in Maine. Get used to it, brat!" She spat. This sent Charlene over the edge, jumping up in front of Jess, making her flinch. But Jess didn't back down. "Step away or I'll rearrange your face in 3…2…"

I could tell she was serious, stern-faced as ever. That actually alarmed me enough that I jumped up, "Guys!" I yelled.

But Finn had already started to act. He leapt off the couch, stepping between them and trying to keep them separated.

"Hey, stop it!" He hollered. "STOP IT!"

They seemed to be somewhat intimidated, as was I, seeing as that was a tone Finn rarely used and it was highly menacing. "Listen, we're getting back tonight. So can you please just not fight until then?"  
The two girls nodded. "Jeez." He let go.

Charlene mumbled something under her breath, stepping into the bathroom and I heard the door lock with a click. Jess went back to our room, probably to start packing. Willa just rolled her eyes and went back to her room.

"Wow, guys. I'm surprised nobody's broken anything in the house by now." I would've laughed, but truthfully, it was too true to be funny.

…

When I walked back into my room after breakfast, I came in to see Jess drawing in her journal. I wasn't so worried since she did that often even when she didn't have a dream. What did make me upset, however, was that most of her things were still flung around the room rather than in her suitcase.

"Jess!"

"What?" She asked, not even looking up from her journal.

"Your things." She didn't respond, which infuriated me. "We're leaving in a less than an hour-"

"Shut up."

"I'm just trying to warn you. Hurry up or-"

"Shut up."

"Everyone else is done packing and –"

"Shut up."

"Quit telling me to shut up! I'm just trying to tell you that you should hurry up!"

"Well, if I needed your opinion, I would've asked for it. But I didn't so I'll tell you again. Shut. Up. Thank you."

My vocal cords noted in frustration, and I wasn't able to form a comeback. However, I was thinking of a lot of things to call her.

She took a look at my face then rolled her eyes and put the journal down. "You know what? Fine, I'll pack. If you'd just stop looking at me like that."

I smirked, just as she had to Charlie. I could tell that it irked her, which made me smile all the more. Grabby my own luggage, I walked out to the car and put my bags in the trunk. Turning around and staring at the view, I noticed how beautiful it really was, to see the reflection of the sun on the water like that. I huffed, knowing I was going to miss it.

"Hey, you okay, Amanda?"

"Yeah, Phil, I'm fine." He gave me a sad, half smile.

"Was this close enough to Maine for your liking?"

"Oh, it's wonderful! Better than Maine, really, in scenery. The only thing I really missed were the people,  
I guess. But this is so amazing! Thanks for asking to come, and thank your parents for letting us!"

He shrugged it off. "Eh, my parents haven't used it in a while and I'm sure they were just happy someone was going up to see how the place is doing. I just wish we hadn't fought so much."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I mean usually it's just Maybeck or Jess, but now it was all of us. I think we just  
need a little time to ourselves for a while."

Just then, Jess burst through the front door, shoving her bag into the trunk beside mine. "Happy?" She regarded me with a sardonic smile.

"Immensly." She rolled her eyes and went back inside with an angry stomp in her step. "It'll be over by tonight, then we can all go home and cool down. You know figuratively, I don't think you can get much cooler than this." I danced around in the snow awhile before going back indoors.

About thirty minutes later, everyone had put their things in the car and Finn announced it was time to  
depart. As we drove down the snow-covered road, I think we all turned back to the cabin, with a feeling of regret we had made half our vacation a nightmare.

**Finn's POV…**

"Charlie!" Willa yelled.

"What!?"

"That's my shirt!" She yelled. "And you spilled your stupid lunch all over it!"

"Calm down!" Charlie yelled back. "No need to flip out!"

Oh boy.

"I wasn't flipping out!"

"Don't be so cranky!"

If I'm stuck in this car with the two of them-

"CARRY OOOOON! IF YOU'RE LOST AND ALONE, AND YOU'RE-" Jess started.

"OH MY GOD, JESS, SHUT UP!" Maybeck screamed.

"Don't be a dork!"

"What the heck-"

"Maybeck! YOUR SPRITE SPILLED ON MY IPAD!" Oh great, there's Philby.

I put my headphones in my ears, glancing at Amanda in the driver's seat.

Amanda was seventeen, and it was… _mostly_legal for her to drive all of us.

I glanced around at the snowy Canada mountains scenery.

"TONIIIIGGGHHHT. WEEE ARRREEE YOOOOOUNNNG!"

"JESS!"

"WILLA, IT'S JUST A T-SHIRT!"

"IT'S MY BROTHER'S-"

"MAYBECK, YOU'RE BUYING ME A NEW-"

"I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!"

"GUYS!" Amanda finally screamed, keeping her eyes fixed on the curvy road ahead of us. "SHUT UP!  
WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM?"

"HE BROKE MY-"

"WILLA'S FREAKING OUT-"

"I WANT TO SING!"

"IT WAS MY BROTHER'S FAVORITE SHIRT!"

"Calm down! Philby, Disney will get you a new one; Charlie, ask first next time; Jess, shut up; and Willa, I'll help you fix it!"

And they all started screaming at once. One of the girls shrieked, like they were hurt, and Amanda turned for one second.

One second.

"AMANDA!" I screamed.

A moose, in the middle of the icy road.

She slammed on the brakes, spinning us right off the road. I felt the van turn. I heard screams.

And everything faded away.

…

I woke up to nothing. Bright white light. And pain. My vision came back slowly, and I realized I was staring up at falling snow. I blinked it out of my eyes, and slowly brushed it off my frozen face. I took a breath.

I slowly sat up, looking around. My leg had been bleeding, but now it was all dried and frozen blood. Okay, that's gross.

I looked around.

_Where am I?_

Surrounding me were trees- just trees covered in white snow. It truly created a beautiful sight: a white snowy forest, something out of a fairytale. All you could see for maybe fifty yards in front of me was beautiful forest. It was peaceful.

I looked up now, trying to slowly take in my surroundings. The sky was gray, and snow fell quickly in big chunks.

To my left, I saw, was more forest, but to my right was a scene that made me feel like I was going to throw up: The Keeper's van. Crumpled, on its side, windows shattered.

"Guys?" I whispered, surprised at the weakness of my voice.

No answer. I limped faster to the van, climbing on top. I pried the door up, and open. It broke off, and I threw it to the side. I slowly dropped in.

"Guys." I whispered, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Amanda was in the driver's seat, hanging limply because the seatbelt hadn't released her. She had cuts all over her face. Her gold hair was streaked red with blood- it was terrifying.

"Amanda!" I whispered, quickly. I unbuckled her, laying her down, propped up against the sideways seat.

The windshield had shattered, but not broken. I pushed myself through it, so the pieces fell, and dragged Amanda out of the van. I put her down, and kneeled next to her.

"Amanda!" I whispered. "Amanda.." I pulled her into a hug, trying to get her body to warm up.

After a short while, I heard a cough.

"_Guys…"_ I heard, from inside the van. Deciding Amanda would wake on her own, I propped her against a rock, and ran back to the van.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"…Finn…?" came the weak voice.

"Philby? That you?"

"Yeah… I can't… I'm so dizzy…"

"Philby, you need to stay awake, okay? _Stay awake._ Lean on me, I'm going to get you out of here."

He nodded slightly, and I helped him to where Amanda was.

"…'s… Manda… Ok…" he muttered weakly. He sat up to scoot next to her.

"Whoa, Whoa… Philbs, take it easy." I muttered, pushing him towards Amanda, so they could share body heat. He put an arm around her, pulling her towards him.

"Where… are… the others…" He breathed. His eyes dipped closed for a second, but he pried them open again.

"Take it easy." I said, again. "You're hurt, and weak."

He nodded a little.

I went to the van again, but something caught my eye. A figure, roaming towards me from the forest.

"Finn." It was Maybeck. "Is everyone okay?"

I shook my head.

"They're in the van?"

"I got Phil and Manda out."

"Alright, let's get the girls out." He said, climbing in. I followed.

Charlie, who had been sitting in the middle, didn't look too beat up- I guess the other girls provided nice shielding from the shattering glass and flying debris. However, it seemed like her first reaction was clamping onto Willa and Jess. She had obviously had an arm around both of them, but now she only had an arm around Willa, who she had fallen on top of.

Jess was trapped by her seatbelt, sprawled out. She was hanging from her seat, since she was on the side that was now in the air. It was creepy, her just hanging there.

"Come on. Jess first." Maybeck said.

I held Jess under the arms, and Maybeck cut the seatbelt loose with a knife he found in the wrecked fishing gear. Jess dropped, and I caught her.

"Ahh… Finn… Ow…" I heard a small whisper.

"Come on. Maybeck's gonna get you out, okay?"

She nodded, her face in pain.

Maybeck took her from me, handing me the pocket knife, and whispering "Hang in there, Jess." As he walked out.

I kneeled next to Charlie and Willa. Their seatbelts had snapped. Charlie had fallen on top of Willa. One of them was bleeding, they were both nearly covered in red.

"…F…Finn…" I heard.

"Charlie?"

"No… Willa. Finn!" she muttered. She was not weak, but she was crying.

"Willa, what's wrong?"

"My head! And… my stomach! I think I got hit… hit, or something… I can't breathe!"

I lifted Charlie off of her. I passed her through the door above us, to Maybeck.

"I got her. Is Willa up?"

"Yeah. I'll be right out."

I turned back to Willa, lying in a pool of… of _blood_.

"Hey… That yours?" I whispered.

"I- I… I dunno! I… I can't feel anything…! Finn!"

"Shh, calm down. You're cold, okay, it's like three degrees out." I said quickly.

She grabbed my arm, digging her nails into it.

"_OW!"_ she screeched.

"What! What's wrong?!" I yelled.

"My head had a random sharp… pain… and…"

She fell back down, limp.

"Willa." I shook her shoulder. "Willa, that's _not _funny!"

Nothing.

"Willa!"

Come on…

"_Answer me!"_ I screeched, surprised at how desperate I sounded.

I sighed, picking her up and dragging her out.

"I thought she was up!" Maybeck said.

"Yeah, me too. She just screeched, said her head hurt, and completely blacked-"

She jolted in my arms, making me drop her.

"Ow, Finn." She muttered, standing up.

"You fainted…"

"Now I'm awake." She muttered.

"Willa… there's blood…. Coming fr-from you ear…" Jess whispered. Her head rested on Amanda's rising and falling chest.

"Oh my god." I muttered. That could be bad. It could be her brain. She could be _dying_.

Maybeck quickly turned her head, so we could see. He sighed.

"It's just a cut. You're fine. But there's one on your temple too, we should-"

"Maybeck, I'm fine. You, on the other hand, are limping. And you look terrible… Come on, Maybeck, get some rest. I'm fine. Believe it or not… I feel great." She laughed. "I can't feel… any pain… and I'm warm…"

Philby shifted. He gave me a weird warning look.

"Wills…" Maybeck mumbled. He held onto her shoulders to steady her.

"I'm fine." She had a weird smile. "I think I hit my head… Hard…" she whispered.

And then she started sobbing.

Jess stood up slowly and hugged her, trying to calm her down, and Maybeck walked to my side.

"_She hit it REALLY hard_." He mumbled, and I chuckled sadly.

I walked over to Amanda, still unconscious.

"Manda… You have to get up now… Amanda." I whispered, shaking her a little.

She jolted up.

"Whoa! Whoa, take it easy!" I said, pushing her lightly to be laying again.

"Finn…" She mumbled. "Oh my god.."

"Amanda-"

"Finn I crashed the van! I could've… Is anyone hurt!?"

"No." I mumbled. "For the most part, we're fine. Are you?"

She shifted.

"Yes, I'm fine. Cut up, but fine. Charlie…" she whispered.

Maybeck had lay Charlie so that her head rested on Amanda, and, seeing her in the light, she looked pretty bad. Her face was _pale._

Amanda pulled the girl towards her in an attempt to warm her up. Eventually, Charlie was blinking and mumbling groggy answers to Amanda's questions.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yeah…"

"What's my name?"

"..m..Mand..manda…" Charlie whimpered.

"Okay. We're gonna get you somewhere safe, aren't we Finn?"

I nodded.

"We need people to look for a place to sleep." Maybeck said. "Me and Finn will go. The rest of you, be careful, try to stay warm, and take it easy, alright?"

"I can go, too." Willa stood.

"No, you can't."

"I'm fine!"

"You said that once, before you fainted." I pointed out.

"And another time, before you started _sobbing._" Maybeck said.

"I'm. Fine. And I'm going with you, hear me?"

I sighed. "Willa-"

"Finn, you can't stop me."

"_Fine."_

…

**SURPRISE!**

**You asked for it, WE (yes, WE) delivered!**

**I'm SURE you all know my amazing buddy, Neon Clouds? Well she's officially on the LOST writing team. Now, there's… Let me count… Ah! Two people total…**

**So, I am no longer the author, I am the co-author.**

**We're co-authors.**

**WOOOHOOOOO!**

…

**Hiya people of the Internet. So guess what... PLOT TWIST! Kk rules and I are writing Lost Part 2 TOGETHER! Ahhhhhh, it's so amazing to have such a Fantasmic! writing partner and I hope it shows in the writing. She's so great and I am so glad she's willing to work with me and that you guys are willing to put up with our weirdness and read this! Hope you like it!**

…

**REEEVIEW! (that was me. KKrule. haha)**

**Yeah so REEEVVVIIIEEWWW!  
**


	2. This Icy Hell

Jess's P.O.V

My entire body was shuddering profusely, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Despite the many layers I had on ever since we left the cabin, the cold that reached me seemed intensified by the fact that we were probably going to be there a while.

After several failed attempts by Charlene and Philby to get any service, they decided to call it quits and we all just sat in silence for a long time, shivering. Amanda still clung onto Charlene, both of them hugging to preserve heat. Philby had shakily pulled me towards him, scaring me with his feebleness, though he put all his strength into holding me close.

"I'm-m s-so sorry, g-g-guys." Amanda stuttered, although I couldn't tell whether it was from the cold or because she was crying.

"It's not your fault, Mandy." Charlene said, tightening her grip on Amanda, who shook her head in response.

"It is! I c-c-crashed the c-car and n-now we're stuck h-here." She was sobbing and I couldn't keep my heart from sinking.

"Hey, we're not assigning blame here." She cried and Charlene moved to hug her, but gasped in pain at the shift.

"Take … easy. You… look…pretty beat…up, g-guys." Philby told us.

"You're one to talk. You can't even make out a complete sentence." I mumbled. He was right though. I didn't feel so bad, but a severe pain would shoot through my body at random moments.

The others however, looked like a train wreck. Amanda was cut all over and Charlene had blood basically covering her clothing (though, that might have been Willa's). And then Philby could barely speak from how weak he was.

He groaned suddenly, worrying me. "Are you okay?" I asked quickly.  
"Yeah…'m fine." He mumbled.

"Do you think the others are okay? They've been gone a while." Charlene stated, staring with a concerned expression toward the thickets of the forest.

"They shouldn't have gone off. They're hurt too and they should have just stayed to rest." Amanda began. "And did you see Willa. She was not okay. Didn't you say she was sobbing? I mean-" Abruptly, her face flashed with shock, a look of complete and utter agony. She bit on her lower lip, not so successfully suppressing a yelp. Tears rolled down her cheeks, though this time in pain.

"What's wrong?" I asked concern washing over me.

"I…ugh! It hurts!" She pulled her hands away, now with a thin layer of blood covering them.

"Oh my god! Amanda, Mandy, what…what is it? What hurts?"

Her breathing was loud and laborious. "Stay calm. It's …okay." Philby told her, slowly.  
I slid over next to her and tried to get her to calm down. "Hey, Mandy, what's wrong?"

"My side…right below my ribcage! It hurts so much."

I helped her lay down. "Just try to take a rest. You're fine. You just overwhelmed yourself."

Before long, she had drifted off to sleep. Charlene looked on sadly and Philby frowned.

"That's not good." Charlene muttered, also looking pained. Her mumbled something, holding her head.

"Do you have a headache?"

"Yeah, just a little."

"There's aspirin… in my bag." Philby nodded towards the truck of the van.

"Why?" I asked.

"You guys were all …fighting. I thought…someone ….was going to need it." I was glad that he could make  
out clear sentences now, a good sign he wasn't so badly hurt.

Lifting myself off the ground, I stumbled towards the car and tried to maneuver through the wreckage.  
Things were thrown around and the back was dented badly, but otherwise it wasn't awful. I found the aspirin and brought it to her; she snatched it and downed a pill will such urgency I knew I wasn't 'a little' headache.

After a while, she had been able to doze off as well and I pushed her and Amanda together to stay warm. Philby kept asking me if I was alright, and truth was I didn't feel so horrible, like injury-wise. But I couldn't stop thinking about the dream I had the night before and what a dream in my journal that morning.

**Maybeck's POV…**

Me and Finn cut through the trees, Willa trailing behind us.

"You shouldn't have come, Wills." Finn called back. His voice was more '_I-told-you-so'_ than I think even he meant it to be.

"I'm _fine._" She caught up to us. "See? _Perfect._"

I rolled my eyes. She wasn't okay, just stubborn.

"So we can find shelter by following animal tracks..."

"That would mean it's already being used by an animal."

She sighed, and shrugged.

I looked around.

The woods stretched all around. It still snowed, heavily at that, and I could see the puffs of air coming from our mouths. Finn's breathing was labored and Willa was falling over every few seconds and catching her balance.

I think I was thrown from the van before I could get really hurt. Now I have to look out for my poor, hurt friends. And I _will,_ no matter what.

I looked forwards, sighing.

I heard a thud, and a crack.

"Uuuggh…" Both Willa and Finn were laying in the snow.

"You alright?" I helped Willa to her feet.

"Yeah… I zoned out and tripped on a branch." She mumbled, brushing herself off.

"And she took me down with her." Finn sighed.

"Sorry."

"No problem, I was trying to help you stay up." He laughed.

We walked in silence again.

I had time to think.

_We've done this before; we've been stranded on an island! But… that's completely different. That was a tropical island. With food. And warmth. Here, it's too cold for plants to survive. We have no shelter. We have no phones. We have no medical equipment, no ANYTHING._

_We will get out alive, I promise that._

A low growl snapped me out of my thoughts. I froze, Willa and Finn talking about something or other.

"Guys." I whispered. "Shh…"

The stopped, and looked around, quiet now, thank god.

_Grrrrooowl…_

Willa let out a small whimper of fear.

_Bad_ idea.

The white wolf came out of the snowy bushes, ready to pounce.

"Maybeck!" Willa screeched. She shoved me aside and dropped to the floor as a wolf that was behind me flew past, missing the two of us be inches.

"Thanks!" I mumbled, literally lifting her to her feet with the adrenaline rush.

"No problem!"

"_RUN!_" Finn yelled. "Run!"

We scrambled over the bushes, and I felt thorns prick into my legs. I could tell the others got pricked by the thorns as well by the grunts of pain.

We hit the ground running again, weaving through trees. The dogs were gaining on us. We reached a weird clearing, suddenly the ground was really solid and frozen and there were absolutely no trees. The clearing was maybe twenty five square feet total.

The dogs stopped, not wanting to come out of the woods, and so we stopped in the middle.

"That's weird." Willa whispered, watching the dogs slowly disperse back into the woods. "Why would they-"

She stopped as we all heard a crack.

All of our eyes went wide with realization. This wasn't a clearing.

This was a _not-so_-frozen lake.

**Amanda's POV…**

Everything was a haze. I slowly woke up, and everything was fuzzy and _way _too bright. I was sweating; it almost felt as if I was _burning_. And then suddenly, I was too cold to move. My head felt 3,000 times heavier than before, when I fell asleep. And it felt… foggy. I was so dizzy I think I'm gonna hurl.

Why _was_ I asleep out here, where it's so hot _and _cold? And bright?

I heard voices, Jess' and Philby's far-away voices, and it all came back to me.

I let out a strangled sob.

Someone's arms were around me now, their forehead pressed to my temple, and they were whispering in my ear. It was Jess, and she was warm. I hadn't been hot before, I was literally _freezing_, and now Jess' warmth was inviting and irresistible, I just wanted to fall asleep like this. But I can't. I need to make sure my friends were okay, and I needed my head to clear up so I could. I still could hardly see.

I tried to get up.

"Manda, shh, no. Don't move, Manda." Her voice echoed a few times until it processed.

And suddenly I was crying again, my head pressed into her chest and _sobbing_ uncontrollably, shaking, shivering, with her rubbing my back soothingly.

"Manda…" she whispered.

"I-I-I'm sorr-r-ry!" I sobbed.

"Nothing here is your fault, okay? _Please, _tell me what's wrong!"

"EV-Everything hurts and I c-crashed the car and-d I h-hurt ev-everyone!"

"No, you hurt _yourself_, Amanda, you're hurting _yourself _ by trying to get up and help everyone and by blaming yourself! _You_ didn't hurt anyone. Our rotten luck did, this is _not_ your fault. Okay?"

I shrugged.

"_This isn't your fault, do you hear me?_"

I nodded, opening my eyes a little. I could see a little clearer now. I looked up at Jess, her face paler than normal and her nose bright pink.

"Okay. Good. Please, take it easy. You're my big sister and I hate seeing you so weak." She mumbled; this time it was _her_ on the verge of tears, and _me _pulling _her_ into a hug.

"I'll be fine, hun. Everyone's gonna be fine." I whispered, turning my gaze to Philby. He was sitting near Charlie, looking worried.

Charlie, normally so put together, looked like… well, a mess. Her normally perfect Florida beach tan was gone, she was pale as I've ever seen her. Still sleeping, she was shaking so violently, _I could see it._ She had deep purple bags under her eyes, and I think she's got a black eye, too. Occasionally, she'd give a small whimper.

Suddenly, she tensed. Her entire body went rigid, and she pulled herself in to be as small as she could. She'd stopped breathing.

"Charlie?" I said, quickly. Philby sat next to her, trying to sit her up. "CHARLIE!" I screeched. I let go of Jess, and moved- a little too quickly, since I was dizzy- towards Charlie. I tried shaking her.

"Charlene, can you hear us?" Philby yelled.

I pulled Charlie into my lap, somehow, hugging her.

"Charlie, everything's going to be fine, I promise, Char, but _please_ wake up." I mumbled, shaking her a little. "Charlene!"

She gasped. Her eyes sprung open, and she buried her face in my shoulder, breathing like she had just run a marathon.

"Oh, god." She gasped. "We're stuck…"

"I know." I muttered.

She was still breathing heavily, leaning against me. As much as I wanted her to be comfy, it was draining me, and I wouldn't be able to sit up much longer.

"Char, I'm gonna lay down, okay? You can lean on me, still, if you want."

She nodded groggily.

I lay against the cold rock, but I couldn't feel it any more. I was too freezing. Charlie was still sitting up, playing with her bracelet- the one Willa gave her a couple of months back. I'm surprised she still had it.

"Do you think they found shelter?" Charlie mumbled.

"No." Philby sighed. "C-Come here… Charlie, I think… I.. can help you… the cut…"

"Hun, you need to help yourself first." Charlie whispered.

Philby shrugged.

"Everyone just relax, I'll help you all." Jess mumbled. "Jus relax."

I hope the others are alright; we definitely aren't.

**Willa's POV…**

"Guys, don't move a muscle." I ordered them. Paralyzed in my exact spot, I stared down at the cracking ice, just waiting for it to cave. Keeping my breathing in a calm manner proved not so easy.

I knew what happened as soon as it broke. For most people, at least from what I've read, it doesn't turn out well.

The thinning ice cracked more, slower than before, making me anxious with suspense. Suddenly, the noise stopped.

I looked up at the others and saw the hesitant looks on their faces. My own was one of questioning.

There must have been a shift if weight -intentional or not- because the next thing I know, there was a nerve-wracking snap as the ice gives way. A scream escaped me, penetrating the silence before I was overwhelmed by ice water, my entire body protesting with a sudden shudder. Cold would be an understatement in every way possible. My body went numb as I found myself unable to react, drifting to the bottom of a black hole of frost. I could only assume my eyes were wide open because, although I see a blur of nothingness surround me, they ache from the freezing water.

Then, with no warning, I snapped back into uttermost awareness and desperately attempted to surface.

Finding a slight change in shade, I discovered a beam of light from an opening nearby and swam for it with all force.

When I finally pushed through, a chill washed over me and I can't find enough strength to pull myself up and out. Someone swung an arm around me, however, aiding in dragging me out before I fell away again, likely with no way out this time.

"Willa, you okay?" Slowly I became aware of my surrounding and realize Finn was standing over me.

Somehow, we managed to make it to sturdier, thick ice that can support our weight with ease. But with a quick glance around I notice I couldn't find Maybeck.

"Oh my god!" I whispered, mortified. Pushing away all fear of the underwater hell, I moved away from Finn and made an effort to dive back under. He tried to stop me but I was already below the surface.  
I didn't know how I expected to find him. I really don't know now either. I just knew I had to try. Or I'd die trying.

My head ached horridly, from panic and fear. I paused, clenching my eyes shut tight in pain, resisting my urge to cry out. When I snap my eyes open again, it must have been by some unearthly miracle, but just in the distance, I saw him.

I kicked out viciously, wanting to rise again and take a decent breath of air. He was unconscious, or something near it, and didn't seem to be moving. I had no choice but to loop my arms around him and drag him with all force to the top. With one arm outstretched, my hand swiped at something. Solid. Pure ice. I shriek in alarm, letting out more of my precious air.

My lungs burned with a distinct pain, a vague hopelessness rising dishearteningly within me. I needed air, more than I could have ever imagined. Everything inside of me urges for a breath of oxygen, with all anxiety, it's not helping.

Disdained, I pounded at the ice full force with my fist. I just continued for a few seconds until my hand hurt so bad I was sure it was bleeding. Then a heard a previously disgusting noise, now one a second miracle. The ice above me has cracked, just enough for me to push all my weight on and push through.

Everything was a haze for minutes following that. I couldn't remember much of it, besides breathing with all desperateness I possibly could.

When enough air had filled me, my senses cooperate and I could make sense of the outside world. All I could hear for a while was Finn repeating things like "Don't scare me like that" or "Damn it, Willa"

I opened my eyes weakly, the feel of snow, solid ground supporting me as I lay down. "F-Finn?" I called out feebly, feeling weaker from just that effort.

"Sh...easy, okay?" He whispered, now without a harsh voice, not so much angry that I had gone under, but more of concern now. I sat up, despite his comment. "Willa" he warned.

Surprisingly, no dizzy spell overtook me. I moved over to where Maybeck was laying, still trying to catch his breath.

Before he could resist, I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight, almost crying. "Don't you ... Ever do that AGAIN!" I yelled at him. "Do you hear me? You scared the hell out of me! Please don't leave me like that, I was so scared." I whimpered into him.

He hugged me back, though, still half-choking from the water in his lungs, didn't reply.

…

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	3. A Big Brother

**Philby's POV…**

Both Charlene and Amanda were fast asleep. Charlie was in bad shape and, while we argued that she should try to stay awake considering what happened when she last closed her eyes, taking a good look at the exhausted girl we understood she might have needed a little rest.

Jess, who had the most strength of all of us at the moment, had convinced her sister that a short nap would be beneficial to her too. She fell asleep soon after the blonde, leaning against Jess, who subconsciously fiddled with her hair every so often.

For a brief while, she and I had talked, trying to figure out our situation and making guesses at what was delaying the others.

Now we both sat in silence, every once in a while catching each others eyes, where we both held a small amount of grief yet high hopes.

Charlie shivered in her sleep, slightly moaning, either in protest to the cold or from a nightmare. I frowned as she whimpered, wriggling with fright.

Without a word, I scooted closer to her, pulling her into my lap and trying to transfer as much of my body heat to her as I could. She stirred and opened her eyes a moment. "Phil?" She whispered, quietly, before giving a sudden shudder and curling into me.

"Sh, Char, just go back to sleep."

She mumbled something first, along the lines of "Don't tell me what to do." I chuckled. Slowly, I heard her breathing smoothen and knew she had escaped to the realm of dreams once again.

I sighed, wondering where the others were. If they were okay? If they had found shelter? Worry was at the surface of all feeling inside me.

Suddenly, I heard the rustling of leaves behind me, the crunch of snow echoing silently. Fear burst through me in one quick rush of adrenaline, holding Charlene closer as if to protect her from the attacker. I turned rapidly to face whatever predator had come forward.

I saw nothing, that is, until my vision cleared and three silhouettes came into focus. Relief warmed my blood at this, defying the cold surrounding us. But then I could actually see the condition they were in.

"Oh god." I muttered, and heard Jess gasp from behind me.

"Guys!" she shouted, flagging them over with the wave of her arms. With this call, she had unintentionally woken the two sleeping girls.

Amanda, seeing the others, immediately shot up and screamed, "what happened?"

The others were absolutely soaking wet, their clothes dripping. For obvious reasons, they were shaking noticeably; they must have been chilled to the core in this weather.

Ice had formed a dense layer on the three of them.

"The l-l-lake w-was fr...frozen...mostly." Finn stuttered, lips empurpled.

"We fell i-in." Maybeck added simply.

Willa didn't speak, just nodding in agreement, long locks of frozen hair shaking.

"But-ugh, questions later. Go change into warm clothes."

They stumbled to the car to retrieve their clothes, before glancing around. When Willa's paled cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, I understood they must've been looking for a place to change. There wasn't a lot of privacy here.

"In the woods, I guess." Charlene spoke. "Just go into different directions."  
With that they wandered off into the thick trees of the forest.

...

"S-so th-there was a l-loud cracking noise and...we fell in." Finn explained. With the three having returned, each having been forced into a couple layers of jackets afterward, we sat around, listening to what had occurred. Meanwhile, Jess, very crafty with survival skills, was working on a fire.

"I was t-trapped under s-since I couldn't-t find an opening and this crazy girl h-here decides to dive in again to s-save me." Maybeck motioned towards Willa.

"Well, what did you expect me to d-d-do? Leave y-you ... down th-there?" She argued, pulling at her jacket sleeves.

I was glad she was in warmer clothes, not freezing in the low temperatures winds of the tundra-like atmosphere. Honestly, I was happy all they were all looking better... but she was different.

My attraction to her had yet to seize. I never wanted to see her hurt or sorrowed, feeling the need to protect her at all times.

….

**Amanda's POV…  
**  
I sat on Finn's lap, my arms around him, trying to get him to warm up. He was shaking, and his hair was literally frozen on his head.

"S-So.. Cold." He laughed a little.

"I know, Finn… I'm so sorry."

"F-For what?"

"Not going with you."

"No.. You're h-hurt, Am-Amanda. Don't b-be sorry."

I let my head fall against him. I looked around at our damaged group; Philby and Maybeck sat talking to each other. Maybeck's hair was short enough that it had dried before it froze, and though he looked a little cold, I was more concerned for Philby. I could tell Maybeck was, too, because he was eyeing the kid sympathetically as Philby tried to talk, but proved to weak. He was mumbling and stuttering and shaking, fighting to stay awake.

Willa seemed in the same state. She sat curled into Jess like a little kid, shivering and, I think she's close to tears, too, which breaks my heart. Jess had an arm around her, the other around the sleeping Charlie.

Charlie, I must say, was doing the worst of all of us. She seemed to occasionally have trouble breathing. She couldn't stay awake for more than an hour or two; though we were waking her up every half hour or so to make sure she was still alright.

The sun dipped lower in the sky, and I knew we were in trouble. At night we would freeze. Charlie and Philby, in their unstable state, might have trouble making it through the night. I also was worried for Finn, who was now shaking so much I was shaking, and Willa, who was now crying. Maybeck walked around all of us, propping Philby against the rock until he was comfortable, moving Charlie closer to Jess, then Willa.

He then walked into the van, and I didn't see him again for a few minutes. There was a loud CRACK!  
"Maybeck!" I yelled.

"Calm down." He laughed. He walked out, carrying one of the seats from the car.

"How…"

"I found a wrench in the glove compartment. Must've been Wayne. Just trust me on this one."

I nodded, resting against Finn again, who had fallen asleep. Soon, I had dozed off as well.

**Maybeck's POV…  
**

It had taken an hour, and the sun had just set. But the seats were out of the van. The bottom of the inside of the van was lined with the fabric I had cut off the seats. It would make an okay temporary home.

I walked back, looking at all of my sleeping friends. Philby first. I walked over and picked him up. His face twisted a little in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare, but settled back down quickly. I placed him close to the wall, leaving space there for me; I would be next to the wall, since it's a little colder. He looked younger in his sleep. Less of a techno-genius. More of a scared kid. His face looks incredibly pale. I'm worried. He is my brother, no matter how much I pick on him.

Next, I went to carry Finn- except he woke up.

"Whoa…" He mumbled.

"Come on, in the van." I laughed. "I'll get Manda."

"No, I got her." He mumbled.

"Alright. Lay next to Philby; put her next to you. I want an injured person to always be near a none-injured one."

He nodded, picking up Amanda and bringing her to the van.

I sighed. Jess would be on the other end. Should I put Charlie next to Manda, or Willa? I often heard the girls refer to Manda as the 'big sister'. Who needs their big sister more? The emotionally drained, or physically drained. Charlie needs to be near Jess, I think; Jess isn't injured and can help Charlie.

I picked up Willa, and immediately, she had woken up, and grabbed onto my arms.  
Her eyes were teary, her breathing was shallow as she hyperventilated. Her face was pale, and she let out a short, terrified noise every so often.

"Willa… Willa… Shh… In, out… in…out… Just breathe."

"Maybeck… whats… Mayb-beck…"

"It's me… Just calm down."

She put her hands over her face, and I lifted her up, hugging her. She was shaking, and tense as I carried her. I put her next to Amanda. Immediately, Amanda had an arm around Willa, and Willa's head rested on Amanda.

"Sleep, Wills." I muttered.

I went back, carefully picking up Charlie. She was so pretty… even like this.

"Hm?"

"Hey, you alright?" I whispered.

She smiled a little.

"Tired…" her voice was raspy.

I put her next to Willa, and Jess appeared at the back of the van. She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly lost her footing and slipped on ice. She hit the ground with a thud and a whimper.

"Jess?"

"I'm fine…" she whispered. I walked over, pulling her to her feet by her armpits.

"Lay down, I'm covering all of us with a blanket."

She smiled. Then she wrapped me in a hug.

"Thanks, Maybeck." She whispered. I rested my chin on top of her head; don't worry folks. Completely brotherly.

"Lay down." I whispered, after a minute. Once she was situated, I found the few blankes we had, spread them equally, and lay next to Philby. He was shivering.

I'm totally gonna regret this.

I slid closer to my little bro, feeling him stop shaking.

Well. This is awkward.

…

**Hello, my peeps of the Internet! Neon Clouds here! Just wanted to intrude to say hey and um...isn't kingdom-keepers-rule like one of the most awesome writers ever! She's so amazing and fun and great to work with!  
Also little sneak peek for what's in store ahead: leader trouble, sickness, relationships tested, and SO MUCH MORE! Maybe the wolves will come for vengeance. Maybe their friendships will fall apart. Maybe they'll be sewn back together again. All this after a quick commercial break...oh wait, nope**

…

**Aw, she's so sweet! And EPIC! SO this may be a filler chap, BUT WE'VE GOT STUFF FOR YA IN THE INCOMING CHAPTERS! Its KKrules here haha btw…**

**K, any predictionnnsss? I wanna hear 'em! PLeeeaaaseee!**

**REVIEW!**


	4. Trouble

**Amanda's POV…**

I woke up with Finn's arm around me, and Willa's head on my shoulder; she was curled into me. Not that I was complaining. I was _freezing._ I moved closer to Finn, and then pulled Willa closer to both of us. We all were crammed together, I realized, as I looked around. Philby and Maybeck- I resisted the urge to burst out laughing- Philby and Maybeck were kind of hugging awkwardly in their sleep. Looking on the other side of us, Charlie had her head buried in Jess' chest; Jess was hugging her and they both were shivering.

I sighed, watching the big cloud of condensed air come out of my mouth. Willa moaned in her sleep, wonder what that was about? Eh, probably a bad dream.

I sat up, leaving Finn and Willa both alone, shivering. I looked at all of my friends, carefully. To make sure they were all alright. Charlie shifted, rolling onto her back.

Charlene looked _incredibly_ pale. Her eyes had deep, deep purple bags under them. Apparently, somewhere in my half-conscious state, they had found a cut, on her side. It had been bleeding, and they covered it with one of Willa's shirts… But the cut had bled through.

"Oh… Char…" I whispered. I carefully used my 'fairlie' power to move her so her head was on my lap. I took the duct tape, _yes, they held the shirt there with DUCT TAPE_, off, carefully. Seeing none of the boys were up, I slipped her own shirt over her head so I could better get to the wound. Immediately, she was covered in goosebumps and shivering, but she needed to stay like that for a while as I cleaned the cut.

_I think I have a few drops of water left over in my bag._

Sure enough, I did, and I grabbed more duct tape and another two shirts, and sat back down near Charlie.

"M-Mmanda…" She mumbled.

"Char? Hey, stay put. Who covered this cut up?"

"….M-Me…" she whispered.

"What!? Why?"

"I d-didn't want you g-guys to worry… S-so I did it when y-you fell asleep when Finn and M-Maybeck a-and Wills were out."

"Char…" I whispered. "No, char… Come on, don't you ever do that, okay? This could have hurt you _a lot!"_

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Whoa, no, it's okay! Shh, calm down." I whispered, keeping my voice light as possible.

"I-I'm cold!" She whimpered.

" I know, just a minute more… this might hurt."

I poured water on one of the shirts, peeling off the bloody 'bandage' and dabbing at the gaping cut, trying to clean it. Charlie cried out, and someone woke up.

"Amanda! What are you doing!?" I heard.

"Finn? It's fine, just cleaning out-"

"Amanda!"

"_What!?"_

He ran to Charlie's side, and I looked down. Charlie's eyes had rolled in her head, and she wasn't breathing. I screeched.

Immediately, everyone was up. Willa, luckily, knew what to do immediately. She checked for a pulse.

"She's got a pulse!" Willa yelled, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. She tilted Charlie's head back, took a huge breath, and forced air into Charlie's lungs-doing this over and over, until we heard choking.

I've never been so happy to hear someone choking.

Willa pushed Charlie, who was breathing _very _heavily, into a sitting position, wrapping her in the tightest hug I've ever seen Willa give anyone.

"Charlie!" She whispered, and I could see that she was crying. I was too, I realized. We had all been terrified… Willa was the only one that acted. The rest of us… we _froze._ We can't freeze. Not now. Not here.

Maybeck pulled Charlie into a hug, and I realized Charlie still had an uncovered cut and didn't have her shirt on. Lucky for them, I had worse things to worry about than my sister only in her bra, sitting in her boyfriend's lap right now.

"I'm… I'm alright… don't worry… I'm sorry…"

"D-Don't worry!? You passed out! You weren't _breathing!_" Jess yelled.

"Amanda, _what were you thinking!?" _Finn yelled.

"What!?" I screeched.

"If Willa wasn't here, _Charlie would be dead!_"

"How is this _MY _fault!?"

"_YOU MESSED WITH HER INJURY-"_

"Finn, cool it." Charlie whispered weakly.

"Amanda, you can't just go around doing _whatever!?_"

"And why not!? Do you _own _me?"

"NO! But you're going to get someone _killed!_" He yelled, right in my face this time.

"Cool it, Finn!" Jess yelled.

"_Leave all the medical stuff for Philby!"_

"_Finn, shut the hell up!"_ I yelled. "I was trying to help! You're _ridiculous!_"

He's just way too stressed. I know. But he was being stupid.

"Ridiculous?"

"Yeah, ridiculous!"

"Well _excuse me! _ For trying to keep you all _alive!_"

"Finn, shut up! She was _helping me._" Charlie whispered.

He kicked at the ground, and walked out of the van, towards the woods.

"Charlie." I whispered. My voice cracked and my throat knotted. "Charlie I'm s-so sorry!" I cried.

"No.. No, Manda! Not your fault." She whispered. Jess sat next to me, pulled me into a hug, and let me cry like the world was ending.

**Willa's POV…**

Amanda was crying and I just felt awful. Watching that spectacle was unnerving; I'd rarely seen Finn yell at someone like that and even more so at Mandy. I'm not saying I knew what she was feeling, but by the way she was crying, I think she wasn't only sorry for hurting Charlie. She thought all of this was her fault. It was killing me to see her so sad.

After a while, things had calmed down and Maybeck told Jess to go start a fire outside. She nodded and left the van, somewhat stumbling out of the door. After getting her dressed, Amanda and I had Charlie wedged between us with her head on Mandy's shoulder. She gave my hand a weak squeeze, whispering,

"Thanks, Willa, you saved my life."

I shrugged, staring down at the carpet-like cloth on the floor of the car. An unsettling pain in my stomach made the position uncomfortable but I knew if I started to squirm around to lay down, I'd bother Char.

The boys had gone outside to help Jess with the fire, which, considering her tendency to refuse aid of any sort, might just end in her telling them to butt out, except in a less polite way.

Suddenly, Maybeck called to us, "hey, do you know what direction Finn went towards?"

The girls exchanged a quick look and the shaking of head.

"No." Amanda replied.

"He's been gone a while. A good ten minutes at least." I stated, wondering if the others were thinking what I was thinking.

"He couldn't have run off, could he?" Jess asked, sounding uncertain.

"I don't know. He seemed pretty upset." Amanda quipped.

"Do you think we should go look for him? He could be lost." Charlene suggested.

"Yeah, I guess we should." I didn't run off, did he? That's so unlike him. He's our leader, makes sure that we're all safe and sound. He wouldn't just abandon us.

Knowing Finn, he probably just left to look for shelter. Our temporary vacancy wouldn't do so well in the long run. Yeah… that's what he's doing.

"Okay, Jess, you stay here with the injured. Make sure that fire's well and running. Don't want you guys getting cold."

I was surprised to see she didn't argue, nodding her head in agreement. Maybeck came over and helped the three of us out of the van, leading Charlie so that she could sit next to Jess, near the fire.

Then he turned to me and Amanda and we set out into the forest.

...

"Finn!" We continued shouting for what felt like hours. The sky was now a dull gleam, showing we were getting into the later afternoon.

I breathed for a moment, realizing how badly my sides hurt. Maybeck and Mandy were taking lead not, with me trailing behind only slightly, my soreness affecting me.

With a few quick strides, I had caught up to them and didn't think I was so tired anymore. But when I went to call out again, nausea swept over me, nearly knocking me in a dizzy spell. Amanda looked back when stumbled a moment, a quizzical expression on her face.

"Wills, you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I assured her, maintaining my balance enough for the few seconds before there was a burst of sharp pain in my abdomen. I yelped, more out of shock than of agony.

"What? What's wrong?" Amanda asked, a little frantic. Maybeck stopped to look back at me as well.

"Nothing." I muttered, shaking it off.

"That was not nothing." She argued.

"If you want to start heading back-" Maybeck started.

"No." I protested. "Seriously, I'm okay. We have to find Finn."

"We're not gonna find him" Amanda said. "He's mad so he left to cool off a little. The woods cover too large an areas, we won't find him. Lets just go back and wait for him to do the same."

Out of nowhere, I felt abhorrently squeamish again. My stomach was in knots. Before I even knew what was happening, I bent over and retched right there.

"Great." I muttered, as Amanda rushed over to help me. She put a hand on my back and tied my hair into a bun.

"Okay, now I know you're not fine. We have to go back. Jeez, Willa, if you were feeling sick just tell me." She rambled.

"No, I-"

"Come on, there's no getting out of this one. You should really go back." Maybeck said.

I still felt too qualm to move, shaking my head in protest.

"Here." Maybeck proved that there really was no getting out of this one when he came forward can scooped me up in his arms, holding me bridal style. "Just don't throw up on me." He laughed.

"No promises." I joked, with a small smile. As I lazily allowed myself to be carried, feeling useless, Amanda and Maybeck continued to call for our missing leader.

…**..**

**O.o Finn! Willa! CHARLIE! WhAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!?**

**Well, yeah, we still have got to figure most of that out, too… haha**


	5. A Turn Of Events?

**Finn's POV…**

I was so _tired._ I could barely walk. And I was numb. I was so cold I could barely move. But for some reason, I knew to push on. I stumbled through the snow- it had stopped snowing a while back, but there was about 14 inches on the ground.

And I don't think I'll ever be warm again.

And I don't think I'll ever yell at Amanda again. I shouldn't have gotten mad. She was right. She was only trying to help. Amana's the oldest, and takes care of the girls, and that's just what she was doing, and I just have to accept that things are going to go wrong and it's no one's fault.

I kept going, pushing on. I know the way back. Why am I _not _turning around!? I could… I could find shelter if I keep going. I have to keep going. I have to keep searching.

The snow had stopped; it was piled up to my knees and I trudged through.

And suddenly, there was a dark shape in front of me. I ran to it, not even thinking, and it got bigger and bigger until I saw it, and almost cried. A house. A _house,_ meaning people, meaning shelter, and warmth and _help_ and maybe a warm fire and a soft bed… A _house!_

I ran, stumbling to the front. I hammered on the door, for probably ten minutes. No answer. No people. No safety.

I tried the handle; it was obviously locked. But, getting a better look at the house, it seemed old and abandoned; No one's been here in years. My heart dropped.

Looking around, I quickly found a window and slid in.

It was abandoned. That's all I could process before I dropped to the floor, unable to do anything anymore.

Tomorrow I'll follow my footsteps back to tell the others. Tomorrow…

I drifted away.

**Philby's P.O.V**

The sky had settled into a mass of grey clouds. I had the feeling it would snow soon. Jess had been quiet for a long time, silently probing the fire with a stick to keep it from extinguishing. Charlene, on the other hand, had plenty to say.

"He left us, didn't he?" She mumbled, kicking her legs out back and forth so that they dug into the ground, displacing the mix of soil and snow. "He doesn't plan on coming back?"

I sighed. "Maybe. But we're not sure yet."

With a small scoff, she turned toward the forest. "Well, what else do you think he did, huh?"

"Come on, he's our leader."

"And some leader he was this morning. All he did was blame Amanda. You know what, it was my problem, not his. He was in no position to judge her."

Jess didn't say a word, just watched us talk. I raised an eyebrow at Charlene. "But you're in position to judge him?" I asked.

"What's that supposed to me?" She snapped.

"Guys, stop it." Jess said. "We've had enough fighting for today."

"We weren't fighting." I corrected her.

"It's great to see you're feeling better, Phil, but I really don't want you wasting your energy on smart remarks." As though to proclaim an end to the discussion, she turned back to focus on the fire.

Charlene shifted, probably to sit closer to the warmth of the flames, but moaned because of it. She lifted the many layers of clothing that shielded her from the cold, revealing she had begun to bleed through the bandaging.

"That doesn't look so good." Jess muttered, troubled, scooting closer to inspect the cut. "I'll get something from the car to patch it up again."

Before she stood, I was already in my feet. "Let me get it." I insisted, walking over to our suitcases.

As I was rummaging through to find a suitable bandage, I heard Charlie call out, worriedly, "What happened?"

When I turned back to see what she was so upset about I saw Maybeck carrying Willa, Amanda holding her hand.

Jealously erupted in me quickly; I felt my face flush. I tried to push it away as I walked toward them.

"We didn't find Finn." Willa whispered, before whimpering and burying her face on Maybeck. It sent a knife straight through my heart to see her cling to him like that.

"No **, Sherlock." Jess said sarcastically, though you could tell she was genuinely concerned for her. "I meant what's happened to YOU?"

"Willa's" Amanda was careful with her word-choice. "feeling a little under the weather."

"I'm sure it's more than just that." I uttered, watching her debilitated form. "Willa, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "They're just overreacting."

"Okay," Amanda mumbled. "I'm not gonna start to argue. If you're gonna sit there and say we're overreacting, that's fine with me."

Without another word, she trudged over to the van, climbed in and closed the door behind her.

Jess mumbled something and soon she and Charlene were in deep discussion.

Maybeck sighed, shifting the half-asleep Willa in his arms. "She tossed her cookies in the forest, to put it simply. On the way back, she also complained a few times that her stomach hurt. Maybe she's right. We're overreacting; it's nothing and she'll be better in a few days. But I want you to see for yourself just to be sure it's nothing major."

There was a brief moment when I could tell he was honestly concerned. I gave a curt nod and put out my arms. He seemed slightly hesitant. "You've been real weak." He admitted to me.

"I know, but I'm fine now. Trust me, I've got her."

With growing approval in his eyes, he smiled. Gently, Maybeck placed her in my arms.

When he was sure I had her, he left, getting into the van.

"Hm...Phil?" She stirred in my grip, but didn't open her eyes. "Sh...I've got you, Wills." Careful not to drop her, I sat down on the ground. "I'm just gonna take a look at you, okay?" Her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought for a moment, before she slowly nodded and relaxed into me.

But what was there that I could do? These symptoms were common for a lot of different situations! In my head, I tried to go through some of the possibilities.

For one, it could just be the stomach flu. This wouldn't be horrible, although she will have an upset stomach for several days.

Then there were the more serious cases. Peptic ulcers, diverticulitis.

But let's not jump to conclusions just yet. I could suddenly feel all her muscles tense, and she squirmed slightly in my lap.

"Sh..." I whispered to her. "Relax, it's okay."

I felt her forehead first. Just as I had suspected, it was slightly warm.

"Willa, how long have you felt sick?" I asked quietly.

"I dunno." She mumbled, subconsciously. "Since yesterday."

I frowned. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged. "You had other things to worry about."

Several minutes passed when I just sat, with her giving a small jolt or putting a hand over her aching stomach. While gripping my arm, she dig her nails into my thick jacket, while a cry of pain.

When she suddenly jumped to her feet, I was taken completely off guard and jerked back.

She ran, slightly stumbling until she fell to her knees. With a hand to her head and an arm wrapped around her stomach, she doubled over and gagged.

I could read it on her face, she was willing herself not to throw up. Jess rushed over and held her from behind. "Go ahead. You'll feel better when it's over." She told her.

Willa shook her head.

"Forgot about pride and vomit, okay?" Jess said sharply.

"Phil look away." Charlene said. When I didn't reacted immediately, she urged. "Just do it!" I obeyed.

After a minute, Jess helped Willa back over, though she looked mor pale than before.

**Amanda's P.O.V**

Tears dripped down my face, one by one. They were silently tears, with no strangled cry. But they hurt more than anything else.

There was a knock on the door of the van. I hastily wiped my face dry and turned to face away. "Come in."

I listened as the door swung open and then closed again. "Hey, witch."

I rolled my eyes at Maybeck's nickname for me. "I'm not in the mood, Terrence."

"Sorry. Maybe not the best time to start joking around."

I leaned my head against the window, the cool feel of the glass soothing to my headache. "Hm, maybe so."

"I'm sorry." He moved over to look me in the face. I moved quickly. "Hey, have you been crying?"

"No." I protested.

"Amanda," He could obviously tell I was lying. I wasn't so great at keeping up a charade sometimes. "We'll find him. Don't worry."

"I-" I stopped myself when I felt my throat strain, knowing tears were coming. "What if we don't? I shouldn't have yelled at him."

"You can't blame yourself, Manda. He didn't have to yell at you either. But he left. That was his decision." I still felt a pang of guilt, knowing Finn would be alone out in the woods for the night, without a fire, without shelter.

"Just sleep, okay? In the morning we'll go looking for him. Just don't worry about it."

I heard the door open and close again. I didn't know how well I would be able to sleep, feeling the gap next to me when we all laid down, and knowing it was my fault.

**Finn's POV…**

I woke to light shining through a window, onto my face. I shivered- I'm _freezing, _and so _tired…_ But I need to go.. back, right? Yeah… to uh… Oh, get the others. Wow I'm cold.

I reached for the door handle, and stumbled out into the snow. Looking down, I saw footprints… yeah… my footprints. I should follow them back. Yeah.

I stumbled through the snow, thankfully, following my footsteps that were still there. I tripped over a few roots, but I was making progress. I tripped, landing on all fours.

I couldn't really feel how cold the snow was. That scared me.

I stumbled on, and suddenly I heard a shriek. Arms were around me, familiar arms. Amanda's golden hair fell into my sight. I rested my head on her chest.

"Oh my god! Finn!" she shrieked. "_Philby!"_

"I'm helping Willa!" I heard Philby. _Willa? Is she okay!?_

"Phil!" She shrieked.

"I found.. shelt-shelter…" I muttered.

Someone lifted my shirt, and lifted my arms, and examined me.

"It's hypothermia, I think." I heard Philby say."

"So… What do we do!?" Amanda screeched.

Philby met eyes with me.

"We get back to the shelter Finn found."

**Jess' POV…**

Finn groaned, trying to stand. I watched Amanda quickly help him- It's good, for her especially, he came back. She's already blaming herself for everything; she doesn't need something extra. Though, Finn isn't 100%; far from it actually. Hypothermia? That could be bad. Him, Phil, Maybeck, and Amanda were talking. A mixture of worry and relief showed on their faces.

Somewhere behind me, I heard Willa gag, and moan. I turned around again, walking to sit near her.

"I promise you, you'll feel better if you just let it out." Charlie said, from her spot leaning against the van. She's still not looking too good.

"I'll… I'll make a mess and gross you out… and It's disgusting… I hate puke… A-And…" she shivered.

"Philby won't think any less of you." I muttered.

"It's not that! You've got Finn to worry about, okay? I just have a little stomach…" She stopped, trying not to puke. "Stomach bug." She whispered, breathless.

"Me and you are gonna go for a little walk, okay?" I muttered.

She looked up at me, confused.

"I think it'll do you good to get moving, Willa. Actually, you too Charlie. It'll make you warmer."

Charlie started to stand, and I grabbed her shoulders to steady her. Then, I helped Willa up. She leaned on me, slightly hunched over.

"You don't look good." I mumbled.

"I don't feel good." She looked at me, slightly annoyed.

I rolled my eyes, and set towards the trees with Char and Willa.

"Guys, we're going for a walk, okay?" I called.

"Actually- No, We're all going for a walk." Philby said. "Finn found a house."

"Really!?" Willa yelled.

"WE'RE SAAAVVED!" Charlie laughed.

"It's empty. But it'll work fine enough." Philby said. Finn slowly nodded. He was heavily leaning on Amanda.

I turned, helping Willa to the others. Charlie could shakily walk on her own.

"We have to take care of a few things first."

…

After we had salvaged whatever we could from the van and shoved it into backpacks, we were on our way. Or, _trying to be._

Finn was in front, leaning on Philby and Maybeck. They were talking quietly, like they didn't want us to hear.

Us girls walked behind them. Charlie was doing pretty good, just breathing a little heavier and limping. Occasionally, she'd abruptly grab hold of Amanda and we'd stand still for a while, letting her get her strength back.

Willa hobbled along beside me, by the sound of it, having a lot of trouble. She refused help, and she was struggling. She was being difficult.

"So he found a place to sleep?" I said.

"Yeah- a house. Abandoned. But it's better than nothing. We're falling apart here." Manda said softly, shooting a glance at Charlie. Charlie laughed.

"Manda, I can _feel_ myself getting better by the minute. Don't worry."

"Okay, just don't overdo anyth- Wills, you alright?" Manda called. It was then I realized she had stopped.

All of us turned back to look at her. With an abrupt cry, she fell to her knees, holding her right side. She let out another cry, and I saw tears start to fall. I ran to her side, just in time to see her _puke her guts up_ on the forest floor. She coughed, gagging, and leaned against me, before leaning away and puking again.

"Oh, Willa." I said softly. She wiped her mouth and buried her face in my shoulder. "It's alright. We just have a little more, right? A little more of a hike and we'll all be safe inside a house."

"No." she let out a whimper. "Jess… Please… I dunno…"

"Wills?"

Looking into her tired eyes, I realized Willa was in no condition to walk any farther. I watched as she tried to stand, before pulling her down. Her side must have hurt viciously from the pain in her eyes. She sucked in, taking a quick breath.

"Hold on, Willa. This might hurt a little." I told her, before turning around and saddling her on my back. She let out a yelp, then clamped her mouth shut, biting her tongue to keep from crying.

"No, put me down! I can walk!" She protested.

I rolled my eyes and continued forward, struggling a little under the extra weight.

When I caught up to the others, Amanda gave me a weary look. "Are you sure you can hold her?"

I nodded, smiling at my now tamed little sister. "This little thing isn't so heavy. Plus, it's not like anyone else is in any condition to carry her."

"I could..."

"No, seriously, Manda. I've got her." I said as we continued walking.

Five minutes, several struggles steps later, we were at the front door of a large cabin. I couldn't help but sigh of relief. We wouldn't have to go another cold night on the van!

"...window open...side." Was all Finn could manage to spurt out.

Charlene must have understood because she was skipping along to the side of the cabin. We heard a grunt and followed her, just to find her disappear through a window not so far off the ground.  
One by one we climbed in. First Maybeck and Phil helped Finn in. Then they slipped through the window.

"Up you go." I mumbled, passing a half-asleep Willa up for the boys to help her in. Then Amanda and I were pulled in.

All I could think of was my anticipation of warmth as Charlene got a flame started at the fireplace.

**Amanda's P.O.V**

"Hey, Finn," I shook his shoulder, trying to wake him from what I hoped was just a nap. "Honey, wake up."

"Huh...wha-?"

"Hey, it's Mandy." I smiled, taking a seat on the couch and putting an arm around him. "You feeling any better?"

He shrugged, giving me a small grin, "Yeah, a little." His smile wavered, "I'm s-sorry... I yelled a-at you... didn't ...mean it."

It brought tears to my eyes to know that even though he was sick, he still though I was upset that he'd shouted. "No, it's okay. I know you didn't mean it." I squeaked.

"Manda," Willa looked up at me from her spot curled on the floor in front of the fireplace. "You think it's a good time to look him over?"

I nodded slowly. She crawled over to the couch, the look of pain in her eyes intense, almost shuddered as she held back her screams. I went to help her but she just waved me off.

"Hey, Finny." She said softly as she sat on the sofa. "I'm just gonna check you real quick, okay?"

"O-okay."

She put a hand to his forehead, frowning slightly. Next, she carefully held his wrist and checked his heart rate, biting her lip with worry.

Her eyes caught mine. Concern and a lot of it. Was it that bad?

"You're warm, Manda." He mumbled.

Her head whipped around to face him, her lips parted in surprise. "N-no, Finny. " she said delicately and shook her head. "It's Willa."

"O-oh, s...sorry."

"It's okay, sweetie." She replied, though her lips were still parted in an o shape. "Amanda, get Phil in here."

I went outside real quick, where the others were collecting firewood. "Phi, can you come here."

"Hold on..."

"Philby." He must have sensed the urgency in my voice because he basically ran in.

"What's wrong?"

I turned back to lead him to the couch just in time to watch Willa double over and gasp in pain. "Willa!" I screamed, running forward.

"Help Finn, please!" She pleaded. "It's just the stomach flu."

"No...'m fine." He countered.

"That's not just the stomach flu." I said, turning to Philby. "Check her."

He nodded, then picked up the exasperated Willa. She struggled too much and he had to set her down on the floor before he dropped her. "Willa, stop!" He growled. I'd never seen him shout at her like that.

She pouted but held still. "Finn's got moderate. His pulse is slow, he's delirious and he's not shaking. Phil, please help him."

"I will." He whispered to her. "But let me take another look at you first."

She sighed, laying down."Make it quick."

"I'm gonna feel you up, okay? But it's nothing sensual." She glared at me while I laughed.

He rolled up her shirt a little but not far enough to ... see anything. Her face was absolutely crimson by now, much to my amusement.

He placed his hand against her left side, then looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. "Nothing?" He asked. She shrugged.

He slid his hand across her stomach, brushing lightly over her naval. Then he touched her right side.

She bolted upright with a scream that nearly pierced my eardrums.

"Oh no..." Philby whispered, as i surged forward to grab Willa's hand. "Willa?"

"I know, Phil." she whispered in tears. "I'm screwed."

"Willa, you have appendicitis."

…

**Little longer wait, but a little longer chap.**

**O.o Appendicitis? Oh no…**

**Finny!?**

**REVIEW!**


	6. Operation?

"Wait, Amanda stopped us, looking completely confused. "What's appendicitis?"

"Appendicitis is when your appendix, a small useless organ attached to your intestine, is blocked with some kind of contaminant. Basically, it begins to swell and fill with puss and if it ruptures and the poison gets to your other organs..."

Amanda turned a shade of pale I'd never seen on her. But, in my perspective, at the moment she didn't understand what true fear was.

"But...we have to get her to a doctor!" She exclaimed.

"How?" I pointed out, "Our car is crashed and who knows how far we are from the nearest hospital!? It could take days! And we don't have that kind of time!"

I sighed, my body stiffening with unease. Every last nerve in my body was on edge.

"So what do we do?!"

"I… I don't know…" I whispered.

"Phil!" she yelled. "Phil! We c-can't just… just let her _die!_" the word 'die' had been so loud, the others had come running in.

"I can't… I…."

"What's the matter? What's wrong!?" Jess yelled, running through the door.

"Willa…" Finn muttered weakly.

"Wills?" Charlie whispered.

"I-I have…. Appendicitis." She muttered. When met with confused glances, she continued, "It's basically… Since we can't get to a hospital… It's basically a long… _painful_… death sentence." She whispered, breathless.

"What!?" Maybeck yelled. The two girls had gasped; Charlie covered her mouth with her hands.

"Willa… No, It's… N-No, It's not that bad. It's not gonna be bad. You're gonna be f-fine!" Jess said, voice breaking.

Willa weakly motioned Jess over. Jess obliged, kneeling next to her, and Willa pulled her into a hug. She let her chin rest on Jess' head for a while. And after a little, Jess had started crying- _sobbing_- into Willa's chest, hugging her as tightly as she was able to without hurting her, which wasn't very tight, and saying, over and over, 'Willa, you can't die!' and 'Please don't go!'. It was heartbreaking. Soon, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

_Think, Philby. Think._

I shook my head, crouching.

_You know what you have to do. You've seen your father and his colleagues do it millions of times. You can do this._

I breathed in sharply, putting my face in my hands.

"Guys." I choked out. "W-we need to talk. Willa and Finn, we'll be right back, okay?"

They both nodded from their respectable couches on either side of the small living room.

I led everyone through the 'main hall' of the tiny cottage, into the kitchen. We sat in the old, creaky chairs, and I flipped a switch. Nothing happened. No electricity. We sat in the slight darkness and extreme chill, staring at each other for a few minutes.

"We have to do something, Phil. Isn't there something you can do?" Maybeck said.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fight the huge migraine I felt coming on.

"How do hospitals treat it?" Amanda muttered.

"They'd… We'd have to… remove her appendix." I sighed.

"What!? Like, _Cut her open!?"_ Charlene screeched.

I nodded.

"You'll kill her!" Jess stood up so fast her chair tipped. She slammed her hands on the table as she said it.

"She's going to die if I don't!"

Jess put her face in her hands again, sighing.

"I… Philby, we can't knock her out, we've got nothing to numb it, no _clean tools!_" Charlene said desperately.

"All we have is a pocket knife!" Amanda said.

Maybeck looked at his hands, thinking for a second. I saw him look up, and search the kitchen, until he saw what he wanted. His eyes settled on a door: probably a pantry, by the looks of it. He got up, and opened it. He now had our full attention.

"What's in there?" I asked.

He smiled at us. "A bowl, a cup, a few rocks, _a twinkie_, and a bottle of _whiskey._"

"Why is that good?" Jess grumbled.

"What does alcohol do? Like, as a chemical or whatever? Like, in a first aid kit."

"It sterilizes- Maybeck, you're a genius!" Amanda laughed. "We'll clean the knife with that!"

He nodded.

Another thought came to my head. A terrible thought. I _hated_ this thought.

"Guys." I mumbled. "In.. in like, medieval times… They used to use alcohol to… well, get the patient's mind off the pain."

"Phil, are you saying what I think you are?" Jess said, glaring.

"Depends…?"

"You want to get Willa drunk enough to not feel anything." She said.

"Well… Yeah…"

"_What!?"_ Manda and Charlie screeched.

"You're kidding!"

"You want to get my little sister _drunk!? _And then _cut her open!_ Phil, no! You'll do the surgery. She's not-" Amanda yelled.

"Manda, it'll numb the pain." I said. "I don't like it either!"

"Phil, her mom's an addict!" Charlie said. "She _swore_ never to touch a drop of that stuff. Not only that, but it could _seriously _hurt her!"

"She already _is _seriously hurt, Charlie!" Maybeck jumped in. "If it's going to numb the pain, Char, we shoul-"

"_She's fifteen!_" Amanda yelled. "_Fifteen!_ Nowhere near twenty-one!"

"I don't like it either, Manda. But it's for _her own good!_"

"Let's… Why don't we ask her?" Jess whispered. She had been quiet in our argument, until now, that is, and I don't think she knew what she thought about it.

We walked back to the living room, wearily looking at Willa.

"W-Willa…" I said. "I… We need… to take out your appendix."

She looked up at me, fear etched in her eyes.

"Phil-"

"Willa. I'm _not _going to just watch you die, okay? I'm going to help you. I've got this. It's the only option we have. I've watched my dad perform appendectomies dozens of times back home. I know the procedure by heart."

Willa was now trembling, staring up at me with pleading eyes. "Please tell me you're kidding. You can't operate! Especially not here! There's no equipment, no anything! And the blood. What if..."

I stopped her, "It's gonna be okay, I promise. There's rarely any need for a blood transfusion in this kind of surgery." At this point, her hold on my hand tightened as she cried. Do you trust me?"

Willa glanced up at me, a look of horror and fear etched into her features. But she nodded, her lip quivering and tears streaming down her face.

"One more thing…" I said, pouring a bit of the whiskey on a piece of cloth, and wiping the blade of a pocket knife clean. "We don't have anything to put you under." I noticed her shudder. Charlie sat on the couch next to her, putting an arm around her. "We…. I was thinking. Willa, we need you to drink this, okay?"

"Wait, alcohol? That's what we're resorting to? You can't be serious! I'm not twenty one and you know my mom's an addict and..."

"It's all we have. Come on, Willa. It's going to numb the pain a little. I know you're scared but I can assure you, I'm ten times that."

"Phil, I'm about to be put under with a bottle of whiskey, and cut open in a cabin in the middle of nowhere by a sixteen year old. You must be god damn petrified if you're more scared than I am!"

I swallowed. She was right. But this was our only option. "Come on," I put the bottle to her lips. "Please, just drink it."

With a quick hesitant glare, she began to chug a good portion of the bottle. She made a face, coughing, and Charlie rubbed her back. "_Slowly_." She whispered.

"Okay. Everybody out." I muttered. Maybeck nodded, walking out. Jess kissed Willa's forehead, then followed him, and Charlie did the same. Amanda hung back, however.

"Phil, do you honestly think this is going to work?" Manda whispered.

"Nothing in life is one-hundred percent. But I can tell you this, she means just to me as to you and I'd never do anything, absolutely anything that would hurt her if it wasn't for the best."

Her eyes bore into mine and I think she understood. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug before we both stood.

"How can I be of assistance, doc?" She forced a small smile.

"Yeah...me too." Finn called, beginning to stand. But Amanda rushed over and forced him back down.

"No, you go to sleep."

"But-"

"You're too weak, Finn." She countered. She knew he was too selfless and had to be convinced another way. "We don't need extra people to mess this up. This is serious."

He sat back down, slumping a little with frustration before laying down and closing his eyes.

"Bite down on this, okay?" I put a sleeve of her sweatshirt in her mouth.

"Mhm… What for…?" She sleepily mumbled. I didn't answer.

Amanda stood close, ready with the sharp knife, wide eyed and looking like she was about to faint.

Slowly, I tugged at the hem of Willa's jeans. She grunted, slapping my hand away, glaring at me.

"I have to. I've seen you in a bathing suit before, it's no different."

Willa rolled her eyes, though she looked a little drowsy and I hoped the whiskey was kicking in. I slipped her jeans back down to her mid-thigh and rolled up her shirt slightly. Then I took the knife from Amanda, my heart pounding ferociously. She looked away.

Deep breathe. Try to settle your nerves. Can't afford to make a mistake.

As the knife touched skin, the first scream echoed, and I wouldn't be able to get it out of my nightmares for weeks.

…

"_M-M-Manda! MAKE HIM STOP! MANDA!_" Willa slurred. The alcohol was definitely getting to her, but I don't know how much it actually helped.

Philby was wincing and gagging. I saw his hands moving, but I _refused_ to look down and see Willa's.. _insides_. I'd puke.

Willa sobbed, begging Philby to stop, begging for me to help her and it was _breaking my heart._ Philby was cringing and wincing… he was about to break down. This was taking a big mental toll on him… It was killing him to know he was hurting her. None of us were in a great state.

"Manda! P-P-Please! Phil!" she cried. I pressed my forehead against hers; I was standing above her, near the top of her head, since she was laying down.

He was now using a weird type of thick plastic string, like a thick fishing line, and an improvised sewing needle… and I made the mistake of looking down. _Oh my god._ I almost puked. _Oh my GOD_.

The _blood._ Oh my god- and he was _sewing her shut._

"Wills, shhh… I'm here. He's almost done…" I whispered slowly, once again pressing my forehead to hers. She whimpered. "Okay… Calm down, sweetie. Calm…"

She groaned.

"Oh…Done..!"

"See? He's done. It's-" I started to help her sit up.

She screeched.

"No!" Philby yelled. "Don't _move, _are you crazy?! I didn't bandage it yet!"

"Phil, _you_ calm down now-"

"_Don't tell me to-"_

I grabbed his shoulders. "Phil, calm down."

"_Amanda! I hurt her! I-"_ tears were welling in the poor kid's eyes.

"_Phil…_ Phil, _calm._ Come on, patch her up, then we'll talk okay? It's alright, shh…"

He nodded numbly, getting the duct tape. He ripped a piece of his shirt, and quickly made a makeshift bandage. It took a few minutes, but after he was done, he threw all of the disgusting bloody clothes and a bag filled with _something_ that I didn't want to know about, away.

And there we stood, exchanging one long, _terrified_ look. I realized he was covered in blood- _hers._ And she was covered in it even more so, and I had little splotches of it.

Somewhere behind the ringing in my ears, I registered that Willa was _sobbing._ Philby nodded at me, numbly, and stumbled out.

"Willa-" Came a weak whisper. I forgot Finn was there. He looked terrified, of what just happened. He had a twisted expression of pain and sympathy on his face. "I-It's okay…" he whispered. He looked up at me.

I stood, staring at Willa for a second. She was sitting up now, cross-legged on the couch.

She looked back at me, her pained, red, bloodshot eyes full of tears. She went on sobbing _loudly_. Like a hurt little kid.

I should probably help her, huh?

I couldn't shake the numb, terrified feeling.

I ran to Philby's bag on the table, quickly trying to find what I remember putting- _got it!_ Advil. I gave her four… Can't hurt, can it? Well…

"Wills, go to sleep, alright? It'll help… I'll lay with you, okay? Shh, Willa."

I squeezed onto the couch, pulling her closer to me.

"M-Manda!" She sobbed.

"Shhh… hun, sleep."

I layed with her until she had sobbed herself to sleep.

I stood, walking to sit with Finn.

"Is she okay?" Finn whispered. He was still shaking.

I put my head in my hands, shrugging.

"She will be, so…" he coughed a little, then continued. "Don't worry."

"I hope you're right, Finn." I whispered.

He looked at me, then at his hands.

"Yeah… me too."

…

**Alright, Neon Clouds is… MIA…. Neon, I'm so sorry I posted this without you, but I haven't heard from you in a month…**

**We worked on this one together… Neon was writing another part, too, but I guess 2,00 word is enough...**

**So it's all about 'Philby saves the day' in this one….**

**REVIEW!**

**Neon, PM me! Please! Everything okay?**

**Also, to all you people**

**ALCOHOL=BAD FOR KIDS AND TEENS. THEY USED IT IN THE STORY PURELY BECAUSE IT WAS LIFE-OR-DEATH. DONT DRINK IT UNLESS YOU ARE OVER 21. if you are over twenty-one, do whatever you want! haha**


	7. There's Something Out There

**Jess's P.O.V**

When the first scream was emitted from the cabin, echoing uselessly through the forest, Charlene bolted for the door. But I stopped her before she could make it, taking firm hold of her arm. As she struggled to escape, Maybeck helped me hold her, knowing she'd break free.

"Charlie!" I warned, glaring at her "You know we're not supposed to go in."

"She's hurt, Jess. I can't just sit here."

"Yeah, well, whether you're in there or not, she's gonna be hurt. And do you really wanna see that?" I countered.

Typically persistent, she just tore from my hold, brushing herself off and stood, shooting a deadly glower. Without another word, she headed towards the forest, muttering an excuse relating to looking for firewood.

Rolling my eyes, I followed the frustrated girl and her silent boyfriend deeper, until the foliage overwhelmed us, blocking out any light.

For the most part, it was quiet. I lost myself in the mesmerizing crickets' song and bone-chilling far-off wolf howls. Only after turning to ask if either of my companions knew the time, did I realize that I no longer heard footfalls on the ground behind me. I had lost my followers.

My stomach tied in a knot at the thought of being alone, even the knowledge of my way back was not enough to bring me out of my unease.

Strangely, the forest, in its unrecognizable darkness, reminded me of the night of flee from the fairlie imprisonment. The tickle of cold at the base of my neck made me shiver with pleasure. I felt so free for a moment. How cliché.

As I continued my stroll through the unknown, I stumbled across something odd. The sound of distant flowing water, remote, yet so close my throat tightened with anticipation.

In no calm or ordered manner, I sprinted through, the world only a blur of green and black. Listening closely. Feeling so close. So thirsty.

But I was stopped. By a noise, a short, animalistic noise, almost resembling the cry of a wounded creature. Or of one of my missing searchers.

I was paralyzed, entirely unaware of where it came from. Lost. Undecided. Which way was to safety and which to a mess of danger? Had it mattered even, considering one would be to possibly help a friend yet the other to find security.

Without knowing either the location or the source of the cry, my deep instincts told me to head back to the cabin. And return I did, in silent begging that none of the others were harmed.

Only half an hour later, no more than minutes from a successful exit of the woods, was I met by my own species. Quite displeasingly, might I add.

Maybeck had, in all literal use of the phrasing, stumbled upon me, pinning me to the forest floor.

"There you are, Jess." He muttered, seemingly relieved by finding me. So much so that he would forget the position of ourselves, held together.

"Would you mind GETTING OFF ME!" I urged, pushing him as to release. "And where have you been exactly?" I asked, suspicious, "gone to find some privacy with your girlfriend have you?"

I couldn't help but notice the small, embarrassed smile that played across Maybeck's face. "You know that's not what happened. We lost you, Char was getting real worried."

I rolled my eyes at the way he emphasized her name. "Great to know you care about me, dork." I spat, halfheartedly.

He opened his mouth to say something but then he must have decided against it. "Come on, we should probably get back to the cabin. It's already dark out and we'll get lost pretty soon."

Annoying me to the core, he grabbed hold of my arm and began to guide me back to where Charlene had apparently been waiting for us.

"Wait," I pulled back, trying to get his attention. "Didn't you hear that noise?" I asked, referring to the cry that had been emitted from through the trees earlier.

"I didn't hear anything." He said, listening closely.

"No, earlier." I urged, desperate for an answer to the mystery.

"Jess, we'll look into it later, but right now we should really get back."

I grumbled to myself as he dragged me, like I was a small child incapable of remembering my way.

When we reached Charlene, she was staring up at the sky, thinking.

"Is it just me, or does it look like it's gonna storm real bad." She asked, motioning towards the accumulation of thick clouds not far from us.

"Oh, man, that does _not _look good." I mumbled as Maybeck ushered the both of us back.  
The walk hadn't been log, but it was cold. It almost felt as though the temperature were dropping by the minute.

Bounding up the steps of the front porch, I was surprised to find Philby sitting along outside.

With a look, I told the others to go ahead inside. In the meanwhile, I knelt next to the redheaded boy.

"You went to get fire wood?" I asked, nodding towards the pile of twigs beside him.

"Yeah." He uttered simply, still staring out at the mountains far off in the distance.

"How's she doing?"

He seemed to choke on his words as he began, "She's in pain, but she's safe for now."

"And how are _you_ doing?" I asked, quietly now.

He shrugged.

After a moment in silence, I nudged him. "We should get inside before we both freeze to death."

With only a small nod in response, he picked up at bundle of sticks and we both headed in. When he had set the pile down by the edge of the fireplace and tossed a few in, I pulled him aside.

"Hey, you don't think that the O.T.'s could have followed us, do you?"

When I asked this, he came back to life, stopping to think about it for a short second with the same expression that branded him with the title Professor Philby.

"I guess it's possible," He stated, "Ever since we first started, we've been aware that they could venture outside the parks. The question is, how far? And given both that they've never attacked us outside of the parks before and the fact that we're not near any kind of magic that they could live off of, we could assume that they wouldn't even be able to cause us any harm really."

I nodded in understanding. But when he caught my expression, he watched me carefully. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. It's just that while we were in the forest, I heard something. It sounded like a cry, but it didn't sound exactly human, or like an innocent woodland creature, either, for that matter." I admitted.

"You don't think it could have been a wolf or a bear?"

"Even if it was, that wouldn't exactly put me at ease." I said, "But, no, it didn't sound like it."

He nodded, thinking. "Okay, we'll check it out tomorrow, when it's light out. And we'll try to stay a little bit on the safe side for now."

I heard a creak from the other side of the cabin, and looked up to see Amanda, who had been talking to Charlene and Maybeck –maybe updating them on the situation- making her way over to us.

"Guys, it's getting pretty late. I say we all try to get some sleep." She said, taking the role of mother figure.

…

**Finn's POV**

I woke to a particularly loud and sudden clap of thunder, which was strange; it's _way_ too cold for a thunderstorm. Once my ears had stopped ringing, I became painfully aware of a small whimper and sniffling. I looked at the couch where Willa had slept, which had turned out to be a pull-out couch. We had decided she would sleep alone; we didn't want someone to roll over in the middle of the night and hit into her.

"Wills?" I whispered. My voice was raspy. And I couldn't move, really.

"Finn?" She muttered. She was on the verge of tears.

"You alright?"

"Um… N… Yeah. I'm fine… Finn, go back to… sleep." She whispered; she was struggling.

"Wills? Hold on. I'll wake Amanda."

"No! Don't!" she whispered. "I'm fine, really! Don't worry…"

"Willa, you sound like you're going to cry." I whispered.

"I'm _fine,_ Finn. Leave it!"

I pulled the covers off of me, immediately shivering. Shakily, I pushed myself to my feet. I groaned as I stood, it seemed every joint in my body creaked.

With the help of various pieces of furniture, I made it to the pull-out. Willa was laying on top of the blanket, twisted in a weird position and panting heavily. I slid into the bed next to her, grabbing her hand.

"Finn?" she mumbled.

"Hi, Wills."

"I told you I'm fine."

"And I know you're lying."

She sighed. "I just can't sleep. It hurts."

"I could imagine." I whispered.

"Finn I- AH!"

"What, Willa, what happened?"

"I… moved wrong… Finn… Ah it… it hurts!"

She squeezed my hand, and a figure appeared at the door.

"What's going on? I heard someone yell- is everyone alright?"

"Willa moved wrong." I said, quickly. Another figure joined the first figure.

"Char? What happened?" Amanda' s voice said.

"Willa moved wrong, she's hurt herself."

"And Finn! You weren't supposed to get out of bed!" Amanda whisper-yelled.

"It was for good cause." I mumbled as she helped me up. Deciding Willa needed a little bit of privacy, and that Charlie was alright to take care of her, and that I was a bit stronger, Amanda led me into the hallway to sit on the stairs.

"Are you alright?" Amanda whispered once we were sitting.

In the moonlight, she looked paler. I know they weren't family, but with the darkness painting Amanda's light hair to almost black, I could see how her and Jess could pass as sisters. Except- Amanda was stunning in the moonlight. Don't get me wrong, Jess was attractive; Jess was more… (this is going to sound strange) _hot_. Amanda was stunning. Beautiful. Mysterious, gorgeous, I could look at her all day and be in awe of-

"Finn? You still there?"

"Wha- Ah, yeah, yeah, sorry. I'm fine. I'm good. Yup."

"_What_ were you just thinking about?" She laughed.

"How gorgeous you are, and how lucky I am." I smiled.

"You're such a flirt, you know that?" she laughed, leaning in to kiss me. I smiled, and kissed back, pulling her close to me.

**Charlie's POV…**

"Willa…." I coaxed. I rubbed her back a little. "Take a deep breath."

"Ch-Charlie!" She sobbed.

"Hey… Wills.."

"Char, w-why didn't you guys just leave it!"

"Leave what? Your appendix? Willa, you would have died!"

"Why didn't you just _let me!_" She sobbed.

My blood turned to ice. She must be in some pretty serious pain.

"Be….. Because we can't live without you." I whispered after a long pause.

She seemed to stop, realizing what she had said.

"Charlie? I didn't mean to… to… I'm sorry."

I carefully pulled her towards me, laying down.

"It's alright. Come on-let's talk about something else. To get your mind off of everything."

She nodded slightly.

"So. How's the weather?" I joked. She giggled, briefly and just barely, then her face contorted in pain again. I tried to think of a good conversation topic. "You know, Willa. Before I was a keeper I was pretty different."

She shifted positions and raised her eyebrows, taken aback by the random conversation, but did not object.

"I was a classic cheerleader- not classic… What's the word?"

She looked up at me, and after a few seconds suggested weakly, "Stereotypical?"

"Yes! That's it. Sorry, not so bright at two in the morning." I mumbled, rubbing my thumb up and down her arm, in some sort of comforting gesture. "I was rich, I was popular, I was… mean." I whispered the last part. "Wow… I was really mean, wasn't I? My friends made fun of people and I went right along with it. Wow…" I whispered, again.

"I'm sure… you… weren't… all that… mean." She struggled out. "What else… were you like?"

"I was…. What, do you want to know my life story?" I laughed.

She gave a small nod. "I like life stories." She whispered. "People are so fas… fascinating, don't you… don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess. Well then. I was born December 11th, 1996."

"I know."

"SSSHHhhh! I needed a dramatic opening!" I said, and she laughed again. This time, the laugh was a bit stronger, fuller- in no way as big as her loud, appreciative laugh that she normally had, but it wasn't weak. "So yeah. I was supposed to be born, like… two months after that, so I was in the hospital for quite a while. Then I'm guessing I got home. Pooped a lot. Ate. Slept. The usual."

She smiled, and I smiled back.

"I sated walking early, and talking, and that annoyed the heck out of my mom. Oh yeah, my dad had left… When I was.. hm. Eleven months, I think."

"Aw…"

"Nah, I hear he was a jerk. Either way, that happened… When I was four I drove my mother's car into the side of a little coffee shop… I was climbing around in the car and my mother had stepped outside to take a phone call… I fell on the gas pedal. Wound up in the hospital for three months."

"Oh my god…" She whispered.

I laughed a little. "Yeah… not ever too bright, was I? Started kindergarden… Oh, you'll love this- I was so afraid to ask my teacher to go to the bathroom, I peed my pants during story time." I laughed. "Oh, god- in third grade this girl was picking on me, so I filled a water balloon up with red paint and brought it in. And I wound up hitting the teacher with it." I laughed. "Maybe I wasn't the best student, but it sure was fun. I don't know how you nerds do it, but- Willa?" I waited a few seconds. No answer. I smiled. "Night, Wills."

….

**Jess' POV…**

I walked out of the kitchen, my makeshift bedroom, into the hallway.

"Ugh. Ew." I whispered, seeing Finn and my sister holding each other and sleeping on the floor in front of the steps. "How do you even- you know what, never mind." I muttered. Why wake them up?

The house was set up nicely, I guess. I was small and old. If you walk through the front door, you're in the wide hallway where Finn and Amanda now slept. Fifteen feet in front of you, at the end of the hallway, was a type of kitchen-dining room. There were cupboards against the left wall, as well as an out-of-use stove and an out-of-use sink. On the right wall there was a door to the near-empty pantry. In the middle of it wall was a big table, on top of which I had slept, and Charlie had started out sleeping but was now MIA. Maybeck slept near the cupboards and Philby slept in front of the pantry door. They both were still out cold.

Anyway, if you had walked in the door and made a hard right, you were in the living room which consisted of a big couch, where Finn was supposed to be sleeping, and a pull-out couch, where Willa and Charlie now slept, and not much else.

Charlie slept with her arms around Willa; Willa with herself pressed against Charlie. Cute.

Anyway- there was another feature in the house which none of us had yet acknowledged- also in the main hall were stairs, to the left. We hadn't gone upstairs yet, for lack of interest or concern for safety, I have no clue.

"I should probably check that out." I thought out loud. I started for the stairs, but doubled back to get the pocket knife.

_Just in case._

Sighing, and stepping over the lovebirds, I crept my way up the creaky stairs.

As I turned the corner, my stomach dropped. All that upstairs consisted of was a hallway that continued on for a few feet before making a sharp right. Right now, all I could see before the turn was two closed doors- something in the back of my head told me opening them wasn't the best of ideas, but I continued on.

I put my hand on the first door, slowly turning the handle. I slid the door open. Inside, it was tiled, with a rusty toilet and sink.

"Jess?"

I screeched, and turned around, my fist flying at the source of the voice. Philby caught my arm, putting his other hand on my shoulder.

"Jess, cool it! It's me!" he said quickly. I sighed.

"Sorry, Philbs. This entire place makes me… uneasy."

"You too?" he mumbled.

I nodded.

"Come on. Let's see what else is here."

The next three rooms were bedrooms. Two of them had twin-sized beds, one of them had a king. But that was it, just beds. The last room, however, was locked. With, like, four different locks.

"That's concerning." Philby muttered.

I nodded.

"Let's just… go find some breakfast, shall we?" He suggested.

"Sure." I mumbled. I looked out into the mysterious woods, my hand on the pocket knife.

…

**And...another chapter up! Yeeeeah peeps! Neon Clouds here to say, you guys are the best fans ever! Totally getting into the story aren't you? ;) Just like you, I have no idea what's gonna happen next, but I honestly can't wait! Review? Pleeease?**

**Hey guys! It's Kkrule… Thanks! For reading and all, and being patient! Okay!**

**REEEVIEW!**


	8. The Shadow

**Willa's POV…**

I was warm.

It was lovely. I woke up slowly, keeping my eyes closed. The faint smell of Charlie's perfume- it was sweet, yet fancy- filled my nostrils, and I realized I was pressed against her. That's why I was warm.

I stretched, wiping my eyes, which suddenly… feels a bit sticky and wet…

I opened my eyes and looked at my hand. Covered in blood.

"Oh!" I whispered. I pushed the covers off of me- no, I hadn't bled through my bandage. Nosebleed?

No.

My blood turned to ice.

Charlie.

I peeled the blanket off of Charlie, gasping. She was bleeding, all right, the entire side of her shirt was covered in it.

"Ah! Uh… Amanda!" I screeched. Charlie slowly woke, and Amanda and Finn ran (well, Finn, not so much ran as hobbled slowly) into the room.

"Wills? What's wrong?" Amanda said quickly.

"You alright?" Finn mumbled.

"Charlie- She's bleeding!"

"Wha…" Charlie whispered.

"Oh, god, Charlie. Finn, go get Phil."

He nodded, and started limping out.

"Wait, no, I'll go-" Amanda started.

"Manda, I got it." He smiled, pecking her cheek and walking out.

"Okay, Char, let's see what happened here." Amanda said.

"Man-Manda." She hiccupped, still waking up. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Amanda replied. She kneeled on the bed, leaning over me and peeling back the covers. She realized she was seconds away from leaning on me, so she looked down and made a goofy face and continued to inspect Charlie's side. I giggled a little. Only Amanda would be laid back enough to make faces at me while her sister's bleeding out. Wait, she wouldn't… Actually, she'd be freaking out. I don't know why she isn't freaking out… She must know something we don't.

"Um…"

"I know why you're sorry." Amanda said. Charlie looked slightly guilty. I'm missing something.

"Manda?" I mumbled.

"So, Doctor Charlie, when did you make the executive decision to take your own bandages off without us, or at least Philby, knowing?" Amanda said, one eyebrow raised, full-on 'Mother Mode' activated.

"It wasn't bleeding. And it was itchy. We had a bit more important matters at hand." Charlie mumbled.

Oh- it was the cut from the car accident she hadn't told us about- till Amanda found it, that was. Apparently she had played her own doctor and taken the bandages off. Without telling us.

"Char, you have to stop doing that. All matters are equally important. A small cut can be a big problem, okay? One of these days, god forbid it, but you might get seriously hurt and not tell us, and it could get infected. Then what happens?" Amanda sighed.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Promise you won't do it again." I said.

"Okay, Wills. I promise."

"Manda, it doesn't look too bad though." I said.

"It's not. We just have to clean it out, and patch it up again. There's two water bottles left."

Amanda went to go get supplies.

"Char, please don't do that. You could've hurt yourself."

"I know. I promised I won't do it again." She sighed. "So how are you feeling today, Willa?"

For the first time, I focused on my own self- and quickly realized I was better off worrying about someone else.

"I'm feeling… dizzy. My head is /pounding/. And I think I'm going to puke again- what if it wasn't my appendix, Char? I'm dying, aren't I- If Philby couldn't fix it-"

She chuckled a little. She's laughing at me? "Wills. Calm down. I know you're fine now."

"Char-"

"Sh- Wills, listen to me. You've got four hundred times as much energy as yesterday, and you don't cringe when you move."

"Then- you know why I feel bad?"

"You've got a hangover, Wills."

My arms tingled. An electric shock seemed to pulse through me. No, not electric. I was shocked.

"H-hangover? But- No! I'm not… like _her_! I- Can't.. I didn't…"

"Wills?"

I collected my thoughts.

"I am not like her. I won't touch a drop of that stuff again- How could you let them do that to me!"

"You aren't like her! And you agreed to it, Willa, I tried-"

"I was in pain and delusional!" I screeched.

How could she? How could _I_? I won't be like my mother- not ever… What if that started it?

I realized I was standing up now.

"Willa, what's that about? It was just once. I know you're against it but, you're overreacting. You won't turn out like your mother."

I took a breath. I was hunched over slightly, a subconscious movement to protect my side. Which reminds me, I shouldn't be up. But I wanted to be up.

"Willa?"

I slowly turned to the door.

Amanda, with a worried, concerned, angry look on her face.

"Willa! You can't be up!"

"Apparently, I can…"

"What's with _both of you_! Are you _trying _to get yourselves killed!?"

I took a step towards the door. My stomach lurched, and my side felt like it was stretching- the cut ripping open.

"Sit." Amanda said. She pointed to the bed.

"I'm in the way of you patching up Charlie."

"Then sit on the goddamn couch- anywhere, for Christ's sake just _sit down!_" She yelled. "Right now!"

She yelled.

I quickly sat on Finn's couch- where are him and Philby, anyway? I wanted to ask, but I've never heard Amanda yell like that- ever- so I sat down and shut up. Charlie's face mirrored mine.

Finn's POV…

_Be back later. Went to go get food. I have Jess. – PHIL_

It was scrawled on the light wood table in mud. Inventive, Philby.

Immediately after seeing this, I got a bad feeling in my gut. And it wasn't just Maybeck's stench.

"Maybeck. Get up."

"…mmhhhhhmmm."

"Maybeck!"

"What!"

"Phil and Jess- when'd they leave?"

"They left?"

I sighed.

"I'll give them another hour, but then we'll have to go after them."

"No, I'll have to do that. You stay. Me and Char and Amanda. We're not hurt."

"Charlie's hurt."

He was on his feet in milliseconds.

"What?"

He started for the livingroom.

"Remember, she got hurt in the accident?"

He put his head in his hands.

"How could I forget about that!?"

"We forgot because she wanted us to forget. We all forgot, don't worry."

He sighed.

"Is she okay?"

Just then, Manda walked in.

"She'll be fine." She sad, grabbing a cloth (someone's ripped up shirt) and a half-full water bottle. "She took the bandages off; she told me they were itchy and disgusting and so she took them off."

"Then what happened?" Maybeck said, arms crossed across his chest.

"Well, I'm guessing, since it was itchy, she scratched it in her sleep, or twisted, and the cut re-opened. I'll clean it and put a bandage back on." She grabbed the duct tape from the counter, like an afterthought.

I remembered the last time she had tried to 'fix' Charlie, and frowned. That's where our fight had come from in the first place. I kept my mouth clamped shut.

She smiled at me. But it faded. "Where's my sister and Phil?"

I gestured to the table. She read th note, and she sighed, either annoyed or angry.

"We'll all be just fine..." and with that, returned to the living room.

Had she been telling me, or merely saying it aloud to reassure herself?

...

Philby's P.O.V

Around us, the forest had taken a heavy beating from the storm during the night. Tall trees were covered in white, which every now and again slid loose from the branches and fell in one granular surge. Above, the grey clouds surrounded us as though they might cave in suddenly and drag us into an abyss of wintery torture. The snowfall seemed heavier, no longer crystal-like snowflakes gently floating down to the ground but denser, frayed ice.

I glanced at Jess, who struggled slightly in the deep snow that reached much higher on her than on me. She almost appeared fearful that one wrong move would make her sink into the stuff and never find her way up again, as she stepped cautiously forward, glowering at the blanket of sleet.

"It's still bothering you," I said, more as a statement than a question. "The door upstairs."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day that you're stuck in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a mysterious room that was used to either a. keep something in or b. keep something out. And both are pretty displeasing ideas if you ask me." She retorted, stopping to lean on a tree and shake the snow from her boots.

"I know. But whatever was there isn't there anymore. The cabin's abandoned." I told her, as I could tell she was extremely tense about it.

"What if that's the reason they abandoned it? What whatever was there still is?" She looked back at me, fear glazing the edges of her grey eyes.

"I don't know. All I know is that, we can't just up-and-out on just superstition. Not in the condition our team's in." Jess shrugged mildly, rubbing her arms to keep them warm.

A silence fell over the both of us for several long minutes. Every so often, she'd glance over her shoulder and look at me, then snap back to her initial stance and keep walking. I could see the gears turning in her head. At one point, she just halted completely, so suddenly I almost bumped into her.

"What's wrong?" I asked in a hush, knowing that if it was predators she'd spotted, we couldn't be loud.

"I haven't been honest." She said, tersely, staring forward, still thinking solemnly. Sorrowful pallid depths pierced my glance as she turned to face me. "The night before we left…I had a dream. I didn't know what it meant until we crashed!"

I stopped, watching her carefully for a moment as her statement processed. "You dreamt this would happen?"

She nodded, shamefully and, with urgency she explained, "I didn't know what it was. Snow surrounded me but it was too heavy for me to see, all I made out was the outline of a house, which I assumed was yours, the one we were staying in. I had no idea; I thought it was just a normal dream."

"It's okay, Jess. I know it's not your fault." I said, gingerly placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away and stared at me sorrowfully, a look that told me she didn't think she wasn't worthy of consolation. Quickly, with one swift turn, she went back to walking marching through the trees.

I sighed, knowing that the dreams she had were a burden to her, something that weighed down on her soul. It was too much pressure for one girl.

"I still have the drawing. It's at the cabin, but I can show-" She stumbled, midsentence, when she suddenly stepped in a predominantly deep patch of snow. I caught her before she fell, and helped her back to her feet.

"We need to head back; it's near impossible for us to trudge through this snow." I indicated, firmly.

"No, we have to find food." She responded, determined. "We haven't eaten since we got stuck out here."

"There's no way we'll find anything out here. We don't even have the proper tools for hunting."

Jess eyes me at this, then asked,"You want to kill an animal?"

"There's not really any other option. Unless you want to scoop up some the remains of a dead animal carcass that a pack of wolves left behind."

She winced, "Thanks for the graphic description. Why don't we look for plants?" I gave her a particular look, to which she rolled her eyes. "In my biology class they said something about these berries that grow in the alpine tundra. That people eat them during the winters."

"Okay, and your plan if we don't find any of these mythical berries?" I inquired, earning a smirk from her.

"I've got a midnight snack right here." She laughed, tugging at the hem of my jacket sleeve.

"Sooner revert to cannibalism than killing a rodent. Right." I rolled my eyes.

"Willa would hate us if we killed a poor little woodland creature. And we don't want her hating you, Romeo." She winked.

"You're still not gonna let that go, huh? When was the first time I said it? Back on the island? Jeez, didn't know you could keep at it that long."

"I wouldn't have to if you made your move." She countered, walking off deeper into the shrubbery until I couldn't see her. A minute passed, when I started to worry. Until I heard her laugh.

"What?" I asked, following the sound.

As soon as I came upon her spot, she smirked at me and pointed an index finger towards a patch of red berries. "Look what I found."

…

When we got back, we showed the others our find –well, Jess' find, and she made a point at correcting me in this. With a reasonable ratio, and some left for later, we ate the berries in moderation. In the middle of our lunch, Jess disappeared to another room and when she came back she stared wide-eyed at the journal she held in her hand.

Without a word, because there really wasn't any need for it, I stood and walked over to her.

"What is it?" I asked.

The drawing on the page was a blurred vision of a house, obscured by the drawn-in snow that fell before it. With a shaky finger, she indicated the top window of the house in the drawing. "Can you see it? The shadow?" She was right; just barely noticeable in the shaded change –it being a black-and-white sketch- there was a shadow by the window. "That's the room upstairs. With the locks."

...

O.o WHATS UP THERE!?

Sorry if theres mistakes, im on vacation so this is from my ipod.

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